Senior Scientist – Vector Development

Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar; New York (NY); On-site; USD 96,000 - 113,000; Full time

Job summary

Cornell University seeks a Senior Scientist – Vector Development to lead design of viral and non-viral delivery systems in a translational research setting. You will drive construction of lentiviral vectors, transposon-based architectures, and mRNA delivery platforms for functional genomics and therapeutic development.

The role combines rigorous scientific training with practical engineering to translate objectives into high-performance genetic constructs, collaborating across teams and

Qualifications

• PhD and 5 years of postdoctoral or industry experience in gene delivery or advanced molecular cloning.
• Proven track record designing and implementing complex genetic constructs.
• Deep knowledge of lentiviral vector biology and design, multi-plasmid systems, and safety features.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and optimize plasmid constructs for lentiviral vector systems including transfer and envelope components.
• Engineer SIN lentiviral backbones, optimizing LTRs, ψ, RRE, cPPT/CTS, and WPRE.
• Design and implement transposon-based systems with donor vector architecture and transposase delivery.
• Architect expression systems with controlled gene expression (constitutive/inducible/cell-type specific).
• Evaluate payload size, recombination risk, silencing, and integration across delivery platforms.
• Develop and refine mRNA delivery constructs with optimized UTRs, codon usage, modified nucleotides, cap structures, and poly(A) tails.
• Collaborate with vector production and functional validation teams to iterate construct design.
• Analyze construct performance using sequencing and expression data; troubleshoot packaging/delivery/expression.
• Maintain design documentation, sequence maps, and construct libraries.
• Contribute to strategic direction by evaluating new delivery modalities and synthetic biology approaches.

Skills

Viral vector design

Genetic construct design

Lentiviral vector biology

Transposon systems

mRNA delivery constructs

Sequence analysis

NGS data interpretation

Gene expression tuning

Understanding regulatory elements

Collaboration across teams

Education

PhD in Molecular Biology, Virology, Genetic Engineering, Synthetic Biology, or related field

Tools

SnapGene

Benchling

Geneious

Job description

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Title: Senior Scientist – Vector Development

Title: Senior Scientist – Vector Development

Org Unit: MCC Laboratories

Work Days:

Weekly Hours:35.00

Exemption Status:Exempt

Salary Range:$95,500.00-$112,900.00

*As required under NYC Human Rights Law Int 1208-2018 - Salary range for this role when Hired for NYC Offices

Position Summary

We are seeking a motivated Senior Scientist with deep expertise in viral and non-viral vector and genetic construct design to drive next-generation gene delivery strategies in a fast-paced, collaborative, and delivery-focused clinical translation research environment. This role will lead the design of lentiviral vectors, transposon-based architectures, and mRNA-based delivery systems, for applications spanning functional genomics, cell engineering, and therapeutic development.

The ideal candidate combines rigorous academic training with a practical engineering mindset, capable of translating biological objectives into high-performance genetic constructs.

Job Responsibilities

• Design, build, and optimize plasmid constructs for lentiviral vector systems, including transfer, packaging, and envelope components.
• Engineer self-inactivating (SIN) lentiviral backbones, optimizing key elements such as LTRs, ψ (psi) packaging signal, RRE, cPPT/CTS, and WPRE.
• Design and implement optimized transposon-based systems including donor vector architecture (ITRs/TIRs), cargo optimization, and transposase delivery strategies.
• Architect expression systems with precise control over gene expression (constitutive, inducible, cell-type specific, or multiplexed designs).
• Evaluate constraints such as payload size, recombination risk, silencing, and integration profiles across delivery platforms.
• Develop and refine mRNA delivery constructs, including optimization of UTRs, codon usage, modified nucleotides, cap structures, and poly(A) tail configurations for enhanced stability and translation.
• Collaborate closely with teams focused on vector production, cell engineering, and functional validation to iterate on construct design.
• Analyze construct performance using sequencing, expression data, and functional assays; troubleshoot inefficiencies in packaging, delivery or expression.
• Maintain comprehensive design documentation, sequence maps, and construct libraries.
• Contribute to strategic direction by evaluating emerging delivery modalities and synthetic biology approaches.

Education

• PhD in Molecular Biology, Virology, Genetic Engineering, Synthetic Biology, or related field.

Experience

• 5 years of relevant postdoctoral or industry experience in gene delivery systems or advanced molecular cloning.
• Proven track record of designing and implementing complex genetic constructs.

Required Technical Expertise

• Deep knowledge of lentiviral vector biology and design, including multi-plasmid systems and safety features.
• Expertise in plasmid architecture, including promoters (e.g., EF1α, CMV, CAG), enhancers, insulators, and post‑transcriptional regulatory elements.
• Experience designing mRNA constructs for transient expression and delivery optimization.
• Strong understanding of transposon systems and stable integration strategies.
• Proficiency with DNA design software and sequence analysis tools (e.g., SnapGene, Benchling, Geneious).
• Familiarity with gene expression tuning, including codon optimization, RNA stability, and translational efficiency.
• Ability to interpret NGS and Sanger sequencing data for construct validation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with CRISPR/Cas systems, including multiplexed guide RNA architectures and delivery strategies.
• Background in cell therapy, gene therapy, or genome engineering applications.
• Familiarity with non-viral delivery systems (e.g., LNPs for mRNA).
• Exposure to scale-up considerations and translational/regulatory frameworks.
• Experience working in highly collaborative, interdisciplinary environments.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Engineering-driven approach to biological problem solving
• High attention to detail in sequence-level design
• Ability to balance innovation with practical constraints
• Strong communication skills across scientific disciplines
• Self-directed with a bias toward execution in a fast-moving environment

Licenses and Certifications

Working Conditions/Physical Demands

• Operates at the interface of academia and biotech: hypothesis-driven research combined with milestone-oriented execution
• Access to cutting‑edge genomic technologies and collaborative expertise
• Emphasis on rapid iteration, data-driven decision making, and translational impact

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